Billion-Dollar US Natural Disasters

Analysis Finds Increase in Frequency and Economic Costs

Natural disasters—including the recent flooding in Texas in early July—are of pressing concern, given the possibility of increased frequency and damage from climate change. Climate Central, a policy-neutral nonprofit that researches “our changing climate and how it affects people’s lives,” released data on billion-dollar natural disasters in the US from 1980 to 2024. Climate Central found an increase in the frequency of disasters, less time between disasters, and more economically costly disasters over time.

1. There was a total of 403 disasters, with an average of nine disasters per year. These disasters resulted in a total of $2.918 trillion in damages and 16,941 deaths.

2. Of these disasters, just over half (203) were severe storms that accounted for about 18% ($514 billion) of the total cost. About one-sixth (67) were tropical cyclones, but these accounted for over half ($1.543 trillion) of the total cost and 7,211 (about 42%) of total deaths.

3. The 1980s had 33 disasters (3.3 disasters per year), and this increased to 131 disasters (13.1 disasters per year) in the 2010s. However, there have already been 115 disasters in 2020 to 2024, of which 27 (close to one-quarter) occurred in 2024 alone.

4. Although the average number of days between disasters varied by year, there has been an overall decline—meaning fewer days between disasters—from 59.5 days in 1980 to 11.9 days in 2024.

Sources:

• Climate Central – U.S. Billion-Dollar Disasters: 1980-2024 

• Texas Department of Emergency Management – July Flooding